Hi everyone! Y'know, though I'm an old Pokeshipping fan, I haven't actually written much for it. So when awolflover2 won my contest a while back and asked for Pokeshipping, I had no problem with it...except for having too many other projects going, having a lot of stuff happen in real life, and trying to decide what to do for the story. Eventually I decided to expand upon an old drabble tag entry I had, making it into a proper oneshot. So, after far too much delay, including my babble and excuses, here's the story! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I do remember when Gym Leaders like Misty were, y'know, a decent challenge on the first playthrough...Oh well, I also remember when leveling up anything to Level 100 was really hard too...and when Pin Missile was the only semi-decent Bug attack...and when Dragons had no real STAB moves...yeah, life is good. :P

A Bolt From the Blue

"Backbone beats wishbone every time." -Anonymous

Misty was not a patient person. Well, she could be, if it was something like Togepi, but generally she hated sitting around. She always had to be doing something, going somewhere, getting stronger.

So why was she sitting around this Gym again? Watching as her three sisters hogged all the glory of battling and being Gym Leaders? This wasn't getting her anywhere. This wasn't what she wanted. She was no wallflower.

"Honestly, you're living in a dream," said Daisy to her one day, upon seeing Misty sulking around the pool. "You don't have to do anything. You don't have the media hounding you all the time, or the pressure of constantly being pretty for the camera. You can just do whatever you like. Isn't that what you want?"

Misty didn't admit it, of course, but Daisy had a point. She didn't want to be overshadowed all the time, but she didn't want to be like her sisters either. She didn't want to be forced into that pretty girl role, just for the sake of promoting a Gym that was nothing but a giant swimming pool. She knew she could do it, of course, but that wasn't what she wanted. But she wasn't getting anywhere here either.

So she left. Like many things she was sudden about it, shocking everyone around her. So she started her journey in the pouring rain, overweighed with supplies and tearful goodbyes from her older sisters. Let them cry themselves blind. Who needed older sisters anyway? She would show them that she didn't need anybody, much less them.

And for a while, she didn't. It was nice, biking alone and taking in the beauty of nature without any added commentary. She watched the rivers flow and sparkle as her line bobbed quietly in the water. She could spend hours in one spot, fishing rod in hand. Then there was the joyful jolt when the bob abruptly sunk and the line sprung taunt, turning into a tug-o-war between her and a mystery below the surface. Then the quarry was caught, or broke free, or ended up being a hat caught on the currents, and the calmness returned. Peace with little sparks, that was her life.

Then he came along like a lightning bolt, ruining the tranquility and her bike. Ash Ketchum, that moron. If she didn't tag along, he probably would have ended up in the mouth of a Gyarados by now. Well, maybe not, since Brock joined up soon later, but someone had to keep that brat in line. And that person certainly wasn't Brock, constantly gaping at the nearest girl, or just being too nice in general. So now she found herself not alone on her journey, and all her plans crashed.

...Looking back, those times flew by. Tumbling into misadventure after misadventure, watching Ash battle after battle, it was sort of fascinating. For Ash did grow, did learn, though he was still an idiot overall. And she realized that she didn't want him to change, at least not too much. That same boyish brashness that drove her up the wall was also part of his charm. It was what made him able to stand up to legendaries as well as villains (though she wasn't quite sure if Jesse, James, and Meowth counted). He knew exactly what he wanted, and that was to be the best. And that helped inspire her to be stronger as well. She couldn't let herself be weaker than someone like him, right?

But now those were just memories in rain puddles. She was back at her Gym, now in charge, as Ash traveled the world. She did things her way, which didn't include being powdered up for pictures or pasting fake smiles on her face. She was strong, stronger even than her sisters. This was what she had been striving for, what she had really wanted.

...Wasn't it?

She hated not moving forward. She hated sitting around, having nothing else to do in her Gym while waiting for challengers. She hated the artificial silence, the stench of chlorine that pervaded the lifeless pool, this solitude that she once craved.

Ash hadn't been the only one who had changed since the start of his journey..

Misty set out again as soon as her sisters returned. Let them have their Gym and fame. Let them be baffled. Let them tell her that one boy wasn't worth it, that she was lost in her desires.

Tell me something I don't know, thought Misty, the dust of the dirt road a welcome scent.

IIIIII

They met again, appropriately, during a thunderstorm. Ash had been lost, as usual, trying to find his way out of the forest. To be fair, Misty had been lost too. So after brief chatter soon interrupted by lightning, they both searched for shelter that wouldn't get them electrocuted.

"It's been forever since I've seen you," said Ash.

"Yeah same here," answered Misty.

It had been a few years, but Ash didn't seem that different. A little taller maybe, with his voice starting to change. Maybe it was because she couldn't see him clearly in the darkness. Misty wondered if she looked any different to him.

Eventually they found a cave to stay in while the rain poured. With their Pokemon out to look out for unfriendly denizens, Ash and Misty watched the rain plummet down.

"Thanks," said Ash, while he dried himself off with one of Misty's beach towels. She had brought them to take advantage of sunnier weather, but they were surprisingly useful here too. Also, there was something funny about Ash swathed in a bright pink towel with a Horsea print all over it.

"No problem," said Misty. "So, where are you going?"

"Well, nowhere right now," said Ash, looking to the torrent outside.

"No, I mean where are you headed?"

"Dunno," said Ash. "I just got done competing in the League Tournament here. Got fourth place," He seemed disappointed when he said that. "What about you?"

"Oh, just traveling mostly," Misty answered.

"Oh, okay."

Why did it feel so awkward to talk to him after all this time? Both of them should have had plenty to talk about, yet it was mostly cumbersome silences.

"…Been looking for you, you know," Misty finally spoke.

"…Really?" asked Ash. "Why?"

"Because…Because I had to make sure you were okay,' Misty answered. "You hardly ever call or write letters or anything. I was just getting tired of it."

"But what about your Gym?"

"I was getting tired of that too."

"Oh."

There was another uncomfortable quietness.

"So, can I come with you for now?" asked Misty.

Ash turned to her. "Uh, sure. Traveling by yourself kinda sucks sometimes."

"I know that feeling," agreed Misty.

The storm still raged, but that was alright. There was no hurry. They had a lot to catch up on, after all, as their words finally began to flow between them like water. The world and glory could wait for now.

The thunderbolts outside sounded like fanfare.

IIIIII

I always felt that Misty would never just wait for Ash, that eventually she would just get up and track him down after a while :P.

Hoped you liked it!